ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Economic history of France

Economic history is about looking at how money and goods have moved around a country or region over time. In France, money and goods have been exchanged since ancient times, but economic activity and trade have changed a lot over the centuries.

Before the 1700s, France had an agricultural economy, meaning most people lived on farms and grew crops. This was the main way people earned money, so life was hard and there wasn't a lot of it around. From the 1700s, factories began producing goods and people started working in these factories to earn money. This changed the economy, because people had more money to buy and sell goods, and factories were able to make things faster and cheaper than before.

By the mid-1800s, France had become an industrial nation, meaning it had large factories and many people working in them. This meant that France could produce a lot of goods and services and could become a wealthy nation.

In the late 1800s, France started to develop a banking and stock market system, where people could buy shares in companies, and buy and sell things using money. This helped to improve the economy and made it possible to make more money from investments.

Today, France is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. This is partly because of its strong banking and stock market, and partly because its people work hard and use their money wisely. The economy of France is still strong and continues to improve, which should be good news for everyone living there!
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